


Appearance (Bruce/Mystique)

by ReginaNocis



Series: Obscure Love [25]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-16
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2019-03-05 12:21:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13387698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReginaNocis/pseuds/ReginaNocis
Summary: 5 times Raven Darkholme (Mystique) met Bruce Banner, and one time she shows her true self.





	Appearance (Bruce/Mystique)

_The first time, 1982..._

Raven was very tired after the battle she'd been forced to join to protect Charles and Erik from each other. They got themselves into more trouble than she cared to think about, and she couldn't bear to see either of them hurt. It was hell, not knowing which side she'd rather be on. She kept contact with Charles, because he was her brother, but she spent her time with Erik, because... well, she didn't have a very good reason for it. When she'd gone with him, it was for love. Or lust, as she'd later found. She didn't love Erik as anything more than her brother. She was wearing her usual disguise (herself, but with 'human' colored skin and hair), sitting in a shopping mall by herself while the two of them finally sat down to talk about their differences. She personally thought they needed to just fuck and get it over with. The sexual tension was too much to bear sometimes, and she was completely certain that was the cause of their arguing. It helped her theory that Charles blushed every time she thought about it. (And it served him right for being in her head, the bastard.)

The people around her didn't pay any attention at all, but the man who was sitting at the table next to her had fallen asleep and his coffee was dangerously close to falling. She debated with herself very briefly before reaching over and moving it, and tapping him on the arm gently to wake him. He jumped, and would have knocked the mug over if it'd still been sitting there, looking around wildly as though he couldn't remember where he'd been.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," she said gently. "You'd fallen asleep, and I thought you might want to move somewhere more comfortable, where you aren't in danger of shattering mugs."

"Oh god, I'm so sorry. Did that actually happen? I'll pay for it," he said quickly, eyes wide. He was actually fairly cute, not that she'd say so out loud. She'd given up on any kind of relationship or sex long ago, when she realized she'd never be happy with who she was. If she couldn't love herself, nobody else would either. That's what Charles was always saying.

"No, it's fine. I moved it before anything could happen. Really, everything is fine," she assured him, smiling slightly. "I don't work here, either. I'm just waiting for my brother and his... friend."

"Still, thank you. I'm Bruce," the man- Bruce- told her, offering a hand to shake. She took it, debating with whether or not to use her real name. She decided that since she was using her (almost) real face, she'd use her real name.

"I'm Raven. It's nice to meet you, even under these strange circumstances," she replied, smiling.

"I really should get going," he said, sounding sad about it. "I was only meant to be here for an hour, while Betty spoke with her father. I bet she's waiting for me."

"Ah. You shouldn't keep your girlfriend waiting. We tend to not like that," she told him, winking. "You should get some sleep, though. It'd be obvious that you're tired even if you hadn't fallen asleep here."

"I'll keep that in mind, thanks," Bruce replied, grinning. And then he was gone, and Erik was grabbing her by the arm and dragging her out before she could say anything to Charles at all.

_The second time, 1989..._

The death of Betty Ross shook the science world to the core. The disappearance of Bruce Banner made her father's accusations seem very accurate, though Raven remembered meeting him a few years back and was certain of his innocence. She was back with Charles while Erik pouted and licked his wounds. She'd told him that she'd come back when he could realize that she didn't need to change who she was for him to like her. After speaking with Hank and Charles for a while, she'd finally accepted that she would always be blue, and that it wasn't a bad thing.

Charles had insisted they go to the funeral, because he'd known her personally when they were in college. So she stood in the back feeling awkward while people talked about a dead woman she'd never met before. She was about to sneak out and wait for Charles in the car when she spotted a shadow in the doorway that looked suspiciously like Bruce Banner. Checking to make sure that nobody was watching her, she changed her appearance back to herself (not blue, because she still couldn't risk it in public) and made her way over to stand by him without drawing anyone's attention.

"It's a sad day, even if I didn't know her," she whispered, staring straight ahead. "I can't imagine how you must feel."

"Worse than anyone here. Including her father, because he knows what really happened. Nobody else will ever believe the truth, because he made sure they all believe it was me. I'm sure you've heard the story he's been telling," Bruce said quietly.

"I've heard. That doesn't mean I believe," she told him, still not looking at him. She knew Charles knew what was going on, because he'd turned to glance at her three times now. She gave him a reassuring nod, and he looked back to the front with a frown. "Plenty has been said about me that isn't true. Rumors should be ignored."

"It's hardly a rumor when the witness is claiming it's truth. It's my word against his, but he's got an army behind him and I'm all alone," Bruce protested. Raven shook her head.

"You've got me, and my brother whether he realizes it or not. And my brother has a small army of his own, not that he'd ever think of them that way. Someday I'm sure you'll hear all about us," she informed him.

"What, do you have a band or something?" he asked, frowning. She shook her head again.

"Or something. You're a scientist. You've heard of mutation, I'm sure," she whispered. He jerked, turning to stare at her. "Oh, please. Don't give me that look. Just because I look normal does  _not_ mean that I am. I've got a friend that spits acid, and another who can shoot fire out of his hands. They look normal, too."

"What's your mutation?" he asked, sounding curious. The funeral was ending, though, and he'd be noticed if he stayed much longer. At least, that's what Charles was telling her in her mind.

"That's a story for another time. You've got to go, before everybody starts heading this way. It's ending," she whispered, straightening up. "Come on, I'll walk you out. I want to wait in the car anyways. I'm not one for crowds."

Bruce let her walk with him, but he didn't go back to her car. Instead, he left her at the exit and took off in the opposite direction, driving away in a nondescript black car just as General Ross walked outside with Charles.

_The third time, 1994..._

It was snowing, and Raven didn't have her coat with her. Sure, she could just change herself into someone who had remembered one, but that would be cheating. And she was supposed to be meeting with a new group of mutants, for Erik. He'd gotten his act together in a spectacular way, and she was assuming that the reason he hadn't come himself involved her brother and a bed. Those two were unbearable to be around these days, and she welcomed the chance to get away for a few hours. She was sitting on a park bench by herself, scowling at a group of carolers down the street. She jumped in surprise when a heavy coat was draped over her shoulders and a man sat down beside her.

"You never told me what you could do," Bruce said, smiling slightly.

"I like being mysterious," she replied with a smile, pulling the coat closer. "Thank you for this, but won't you get cold now?"

"I don't get cold much anymore," he admitted. "You could say I've got a mutation of my own."

"That's not a funny joke," Raven snapped, turning away. People often made remarks like that, and she'd never cared for them. They made  _her_ feel like the joke.

"I wasn't joking. There was an accident in the lab, almost ten years ago now, and I walked away with my own form of mutation. Not many people know about it. Well, everyone has seen it in the news, but nobody knows it's me," Bruce told her. She turned back to stare at him.

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours," she offered. He smiled sadly and shook his head.

"I hope it never comes to that. You can keep your secret," he replied. "You can keep the coat, too. Is that who you were waiting for?" There was a group of four people slowly making their way over, staring at her as though she'd done something wrong. Of  _course_ Erik had managed to piss them off and then sent her. Of course.

"Unfortunately. Looks like I've got to deal with a problem. I'm sorry we didn't get to talk longer. We don't ever seem to have time" she replied.

"The fact that we keep meeting tells me that eventually we'll get to know each other. Until next time," he replied, standing. He gave the approaching one last look before walking away. Raven knew he was trying to be sneaky, but she caught him watching the whole interaction to make sure she made it out okay, and she appreciated it. Maybe chivalry wasn't dead, after all.

_The fourth time, 2000..._

She'd officially joined Charles' team, though she refused to take the silly name seriously. Erik was teaching at the school they'd opened together, and she was finally finishing her college courses like a good girl. She was at the mall that they'd first met, studying, when she met Bruce again. He sat down across from her, wordlessly laying a cup of coffee down in front of her book and giving her a smile when she looked up.

"Oh, hi. I honestly didn't expect to run into anyone here," she admitted.

"I didn't, either. But I'm back in town for a while, and I thought maybe I'd find you at some point," he replied, taking a drink of what she suspected was tea.

"You've been traveling?" she asked, curious. She knew all about him, because she'd started researching after their last meeting. There was no mention of him after Betty Ross's sudden death, and she got the feeling that was when he got his 'mutation'.

"I don't stay in one place for long periods of time. Betty's father is still trying to track me down, and he'd kill me if he ever caught up to me. Legal or not," Bruce admitted. Raven bit her lip, thinking.

"What if I could offer you a place to stay for as long as you'd like? Somewhere off the grid, where you'd be guaranteed safe, and nobody could track you," she asked, making up her mind. She and Charles had worked hard to make sure the school was safe in  _every_  way.

"There isn't such a place," Bruce replied, looking sad. "But it's a nice thought."

"I'd ask if you trust me, but that would be silly. You barely know me. Will you come with me today? You don't have to stay if you don't want to, but I can prove you wrong. Such a place exists, and I live there," she told him.

"I can't today," he said sadly. "I've got to go again. I actually have someplace to be this time, though."

"Well... here," she told him, scribbling her number on a napkin. "Call me when you come back, and I'll show you that place. I promise, it'll be here whenever you're ready."

"Thank you," he replied, tucking the napkin into his pocket and leaving yet again. Raven didn't stay after he was gone, knowing that he wouldn't be coming back for a long time.

_The fifth time, 2013..._

They got to New York far too late. The jet wasn't as fast as Stark's crafts, and the battle was long over by the time they arrived. Charles insisted that they stay and help clean up the mess the Avengers had made, and Raven privately agreed. The wreckage was awful, and at least half of their team would be greatly appreciated. Jean and Charles could use their minds to lift the heavy things, Piotr would be good for literally anything they'd need help with, and most of the others could do little things for construction and cleaning. She'd be useless, though. So she walked around the city, looking for little jobs she could do as herself. She'd stopped stealing appearances unless it was absolutely vital to a mission, and this wasn't a mission.

She stayed at a soup kitchen for hours, helping people find their family members, giving the newly homeless food and warm blankets, and helping to calm down screaming children. That's where she saw Bruce again.

"You're in New York?" he asked, stopping in front of her. She gave him a small smile.

"Family vacation. Remember that small army I talked about? We're all around the city, lending a hand," she told him. "I'm not really good for any of the heavy lifting, so here I am. I might be the most normal of all of them, actually." That was a thought that had never occurred to her.

"Right, don't think that I've forgotten your mutation," he told her, grinning. "I'm kind of in the same situation. I can't leave yet, because I was involved in the battle, but I can't help with the clean-up without causing even more destruction. So here I am, helping the only way I ever can."

"You sound like you've done this before," she said calmly, trying not to picture how he could have been involved in the battle. She'd had her suspicions about his mutation, and he'd all but confirmed it for her.

"More than I'd care to admit," he nodded. "You seem to know what you're doing, too."

"I used to practically live in one of these places when I was little. My parents abandoned me, thanks to my mutation, and I had to fend for myself. My brother, Charles, isn't biologically related to me at all. He found me and took me in when we were twelve, and we've been taking care of each other ever since," she admitted. "And now you know more about me than almost anyone else in the world." She hadn't even told Erik about why Charles had taken her in.

"I'm sorry. That's absolutely horrible. No family should abandon their child, no matter how different they seem. We're all the same inside, right?" he asked, frowning. "Though I'll admit that my childhood was not any better. My parents didn't abandon me, but my father was abusive. He actually is the reason my mother died."

"Oh my god... I didn't know that. We shouldn't be talking about such sad things, though. We'll depress the people we've just cheered up," Raven replied, wishing she could wipe the frown off of Bruce's face. "If you want, we could go get drinks when we're finished here?"

"That's a very good idea," Bruce answered, face clearing. "But I'm not sure you'll be able to make it." He gestured to the window, where Erik was waving for her to come out.

"Damn, he always has such horrible timing. Can you believe my brother actually loves him? Well, you've got my number. Maybe use it this time?" she asked. He nodded, but she could tell he didn't mean it. He had the same problem she used to have; he didn't love himself, so he couldn't imagine anyone else caring about him. (She would  _not_ call it love. Just a decades long crush, that's all.) He was talking to a young, crying child when she looked back, and she had to wonder if it would be the last time she ever saw him. She hoped not. 

_And the last time, 2015..._

She was in the middle of a verbal fight with Charles when her phone went off. She was sure whatever it was would be more important than whatever bullshit Charles was about to say, so she flipped him off and walked away, pulling it out of her pocket and answering without checking the number. "Hello?"

_"Raven? I'm hoping this is still your number..."_

"Bruce, is that you?" she asked, grinning to herself. She'd heard about the robot army, but Charles had forbidden any of them from getting involved unless the Avengers either failed or asked for their help. Neither had happened.

_"Yeah. Yes. Um... you mentioned having a safe place to stay, years ago. Is that still available?"_

"Yes," she answered immediately. Charles could get over himself. If her friend needed a place to stay, he could stay here whether he was a mutant or not. He was a mutate, and while it wasn't the same, it was close enough. She'd just have to keep him away from Logan. That man was an asshole on the best days. "Where are you? I'll come get you."

_"You remember the mall we met at? I'm in the food court. I figured this would be the best place. Thought maybe I'd find you, but... clearly not."_

"I haven't actually been back there since the last time you saw me there. But I'm leaving right now, and I'll be there in fifteen minutes. Wait for me, okay?" she replied.

_"Of course. See you soon."_ He hung up first, and she smiled down at her phone for a full minute before going to the garage and driving her favorite car right out of the gates without saying a word to anyone.

Bruce was exactly where he said he'd be, which made her smile. She pulled him into a hug before he could say a word, relieved that he was okay. She hadn't heard if any of them had been hurt or killed, so it was a relief to hear from him. Even if she was pretty sure he couldn't really be killed.

"It's good to see you," he told her, smiling into the hug.

"It's good to see you, too," she replied. "But this isn't the place for a reunion. Come on, let's get back to the school. We can talk safely there. I'm assuming you left abruptly?" she asked. He nodded. "Figures. You can tell me all about it later. I figure you don't really like crowds either, for a different reason. Or actually... maybe it's not all that different at all. I'll finally show you why at home, okay?" She didn't give him a chance to answer, dragging him out to the car and talking through the whole ride, much to his obvious amusement. It was her curse, talking when she was nervous. Verbal diarrhea, Kitty called it.

"Raven, are you sure everyone will be okay with this? I'm not exactly safe to be around," Bruce said as they parked in the garage.

"Charles would have stopped me if he cared. He had plenty of time to read what I was going to do and make me talk with him. He didn't, so he's fine with it. And if he is, then everyone else is, too. I told you, he's basically the leader of all of us. The mutant president, or king. Whichever you prefer," she replied, shrugging. Then she turned to him. "I've got an unfair advantage. You never told me, but it wasn't hard to guess your mutation. You're the Hulk, right?" He nodded, frowning slightly. "So I thought I'd even the field." And without any warning, she dropped the appearance she'd been keeping up, showing him her real skin and hair. Her real self.

She'd honestly expected him to start shouting at her, or to demand she return him to the mall so he could get away from her. Instead, he smiled. "I see what you mean by us not being as different as we seem. Looks like we've both got disguises to hide behind."

"I don't hide anymore. I'm not afraid to be myself. It just isn't safe yet, not in crowded places like that. People are getting used to mutants, but I'm too different for them to accept just yet. I can be anyone in the world, and nobody would ever know. My true self can't hide, but I've got the world's best camouflage," she told him.

"I can see that. Of course, I much prefer your true self to your disguises," he replied, smiling. She blushed, smiling back.

"You'd be the first," she informed him. "But I can't say I'm surprised. You've always been different to me. I'm hoping that in time I can show you there's no reason for you to hate what you've become. Yes, sometimes he's destructive, but he was created to protect you. I've read all the articles and speculations I could get my hands on, including some of Stark's. If anyone can help you, it would be me. If you'll let me, of course."

"I can't promise you anything. But since you've been so honest with you, I will try. I do believe that if anyone could understand... it would be you," he nodded. "So this school... you said it's entirely mutants here?"

As they discussed the school and the future, Charles sent her his approval mentally, telling her that even Erik approved of what she was doing. Not that she needed their approval, but it felt good. And she knew that eventually she'd make Bruce understand that everything would be okay. Maybe they'd even find their happy endings together. Only time would tell.


End file.
